Repairing Water Damage on a Little Guy Silver Shadow

[dreamerofdreams]

Hi,
I recently acquired a 2010 Little Guy Silver Shadow trailer that I'm hoping to restore/fix up. The first and probably biggest issue I want to tackle is addressing some moisture/water damage on both sides of the trailer -- the most egregious damage is concentrated at the bottom of both side panels (as seen in the attached photos). The roof and hatch area appears completely fine so it's restricted to just the sides.

I'm a novice when it comes to RV's so I'm not quite sure the proper sequence of tackling, but it looks like I'll need to remove the aluminum trim, doors, and then remove the old aluminum skin. And then I can assess whether I'll need to patch any wood with water damage.

Any suggestions for repairing? Obviously, I want to try and prevent similar damage in the future, so I'm trying to identify why it failed in the first place and make sure to address that in the repair.

Thanks so much for your help.

 

[Jarthoro]

First of all Congratulations on the Silver Shadow.

Before replacing anything, I'd focus on finding the leak source first, water often shows up at the bottom but enters higher up around windows, doors, trim, or old sealant.

Once that's fixed, remove the damaged sections and see how much wood is actually affected. If the framing is still solid, a localized repair is usually enough.

Definitely make sure everything is completely dry before sealing it back up. Treat any exposed wood with mold inhibitor, and use quality sealant behind trim and screws to prevent future leaks.

Checking all seams carefully now can save you from bigger problems later.

 

[Jarthoro]

First of all Congratulations on the Silver Shadow.

Before replacing anything, I'd focus on finding the leak source first, water often shows up at the bottom but enters higher up around windows, doors, trim, or old sealant.

Once that's fixed, remove the damaged sections and see how much wood is actually affected. If the framing is still solid, a localized repair is usually enough.

Definitely make sure everything is completely dry before sealing it back up. Treat any exposed wood with mold inhibitor, and use quality sealant behind trim and screws to prevent future leaks.

Checking all seams carefully now can save you from bigger problems later.

I was also had a storm damage at home few months ago and this taught me multiple things to stay strong in the life, one of my old city neighbor do storm damage inspection in orlando so i called him to get useful tips and his recommendations really help me in that tough time.

Also to help prevent it from happening again, inspect your roof seams, windows, doors, and exterior trim at least once or twice a year for cracked or failing sealant .

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Your trailer has a lot of galvanic corrosion on the skin. From the extent, it appears there are multiple sources of water intrusion. It could be failure of sealant, or perhaps it was never sealed.

I would get it into a dry work area, then start disassembling things. Label parts and document where they go. Save things that need to be used as a pattern when rebuilding. Have you been under the trailer to see the floor condition? Is the frame in good condition?

Before reassembly, make sure existing wood is thoroughly dry, and consider using a penetrating epoxy on all wood to act as a water barrier. As mentioned above, use a quality sealant (like Dicor products) around all openings and seams. Consider a butyl tape under the trim strips, and do seal each screw that holds the trim down.

Check to make sure your fasteners will not react with the aluminum skin. Dissimilar metals can/will cause corrosion.

It may look like a big job, but I think you can do it. Please document your process here on the forum so others can benefit from your efforts.

Edit: an after thought. Once you’ve completed your restoration, always store your trailer under cover. Sun and rain are the enemies of RVs.

 

[dreamerofdreams]

Thanks everyone for the tips! I'll report back the progress.

 

[Modstock]

Your probably going to be replacing the whole wall. I'd sell it and run.